BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY: The history of the German Shorthaired Pointing Dog starts with the dogs which were used for the hunt with nets on feathered game, especially in the Mediterranean countries, and in combination with falconry. Via France, Spain and Flanders the Pointers came to the German courts. The most important distinctive feature of these dogs was their pointing performance. After the first double-barreled gun was made (1750), a pointing dog was even more required. In full sight of the dog « game birds in flight » were shot. That was the beginning of the transition from a mere pointer to a versatile gundog. As a fundamental basis for the structure and development of the breed the « Zuchtbuch Deutsch-Kurzhaar » (Studbook) has been published since 1897. It was Prince Albrecht zu Solms-Braunfeld who compiled breed characteristics, judging rules for conformation and finally also simple trial regulations for hunting dogs. Today the German Shorthaired Pointing Dog still passes through the filter of elaborated breeding- and trial regulations. The standard stipulates the consitution of the German Shorthaired Pointing Dog, as a versatile hunting dog, which enables him to perform all requirements in connection with hunting activities, even when advanced in age.

GENERAL APPEARANCE: A dog of noble and balanced appearance, the conformation of which ensures strength, endurance and speed. Proud attitude, smooth outlines, lean head, well carried tail, firm shiny coat and well reaching, harmonious strides emphasize its nobility.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS: Length of body should slightly exceed height at withers.

Nose: Somewhat protruding. Nostrils sufficiently wide, broad and mobile. Basically brown,however black in black or black roan dogs. A flesh-coloured or spotted nose is only permissible in dogs with white as basic colour.

Muzzle: Long, broad, deep and strong in order to enable the dog’s correct carrying of game. Viewed from the side the nasal bridge shows a slight curvature in all transitions from a nobly constructed ram’s nose to a slight rise above the straight line - more prominent in males. A totally straight nasal bridge, although still acceptable, is less attractive; a concave bridge (dish-face) is a serious fault.

Lips: Tight fitting, not too pendulous, good pigmentation. The naso-labial line slopes almost vertically and then continues in a flat arch to the moderately pronounced corner of the lips.

Jaws/Teeth: Strong jaws with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite. The upper inscisors should reach over the lower incisors without gap and the teeth should be positioned vertically in the jaws. 42 sound teeth, in accordance with the teeth formula.

Ears: Moderately long, set on high and broad, flat and without twisting hanging down close to the head, bluntly rounded at the tip. Neither too fleshy nor too thin. When brought forward they are supposed to reach more or less the corner of the lips.

NECK: Length in harmony with general appearance of the dog, progressively thickening towards the body. Very muscular and slightly crested nape. Tight fitting skin of throat.

BODY:

Topline: Straight and slightly sloping.

Withers: Well defined.

Back: Firm and muscular. Vertebral processes should be covered by muscles.

Loin: Short, broad, muscular, straight or slightly arched. Transition from back to loin tight and well knit.

Croup: Broad and long enough, not abruptly slanting, but slightly slanting towards the tail, well muscled.

Chest: Somewhat deeper than broad with well defined forechest, with the sternum reaching back as far as possible. Sternum and elbow joint ont the same level. Ribs well sprung, neither flat nor barrel-shaped. False ribs well reaching down.

Underline: With elegant arch, slightly tucked up towards rear, dry.

TAIL: Set high, strong at the root and then tapering, of medium length. About halfway docked for hunting purposes. At rest hanging down; in movement horizontal, neither carried too high above the backline nor extremely bent. (In countries where tail docking is prohibited by law, the tail can remain in its natural shape. It should reach down as far as the hocks and be carried straight or slightly sabre tail fashion).

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS:

General appearance: Viewed from the front, straight and parallel; viewed from the side, the legs are well placed under the body.

Shoulders: Shoulder blades well laid back, well attached to chest, and strongly muscled. Shoulder blade and upperarm well angulated.

Upper arm: As long as possible, well muscled and dry.

Elbow: Close but not too tight to body, neither turned in nor out, well set back.

Hind feet: Round to spoon shaped, with well tight and adequately arched toes. Strong toenails. Tough, resistant pads. Foot set parallel, neither turned in nor out, in stance as well as in movement.

GAIT: Well extended strides, with forceful propulsion from the hindquarters and adequate reach of the forelimbs. Front and hind legs moving straight and parallel. The dog is carrying himself in a proud attitude. Pacing gait is not desirable.

SKIN: Close and tight, not wrinkly.

COAT

HAIR: Short and dense, rough and hard to the touch. Somewhat thinner and shorter on the head and ears, not remarkably longer at the underside of the tail. Should cover the whole body.

COLOUR:

Solid brown, without markings.

Brown with small white or flecked markings at chest and legs.

Dark brown roan, with brown head, brown patches or specks. The basic colour of such a dog is not brown mixed with whit or white with brown, but the coat shows such an even intensive mixture of brown and white which results in that kind of inconspicuous exterior of the dog ever so valuable for the practical hunt. At the inner sides of the hindlegs as well as at the tip of the tail the colour is often lighter.

Light brown roan with brown head, brown patches, specks or without patches. In this colouring the brown hairs are fewer, the white hairs are predominant.

White with brown head markings, brown patches or specks.

Black colour in the same nuances as the brown, respectively the brown roan colours.

Yellow tan markings are permissible.

Blaze, fleck and speckled flews are permissible.

SIZE:

Height at the withers: Dogs 62 to 66 cm.

Bitches 58 to 63 cm.

FAULTS: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

Faults in attitude, not according or typical to gender.

Muzzle too short.

Flews too heavy or too thin.

From the total of 4 PM 1 and 2 M3 only two teeth may be missing.

Eyes too light. Yellowish « bird of prey » eyes.

Ears too long, too short, too heavy, set on too narrow or twisted.

Loose skin at throat.

Slight roach back.

Rump too short.

Chest too deep.

Tail strongly bent or carried too high above the topline.

Elbows turned in or out. Feet turned in or out; forelegs standing close or wide.

Hindquarters too straight.

Slightly bow-legged, slightly cow-hocked or close hocks.

SERIOUS FAULTS:

Clumsy, lymphatic, coarse conformation.

Marked stop.

Flesh-coloured or flecked nose (except when basic colour of coat is white).

Snipy muzzle, concave bridge of the nose (dish-face).

Pincer bite or partial pincer bite (For dogs older than 4 years a so-called pincer bite due to age shall not affect evaluation as long as a « Deutsch-Kurzhaar-Club » has certified that at a previous show a correct bite was confirmed).

Distinctly cow-hocked or bow-legged, in stance as well as in movement.

Overbuilt hindquarters.

Flat feet.

Spread toes.

Clumsy gait.

Deviation of more than 2 cm from the given height at the withers.

ELIMINATING FAULTS:

Aggresive or overly shy.

Distinctly non-typical gender characteristics.

Absence of more than 2 teeth from the total of 4 PM 1 and 2 M3. Absence of 1 tooth or more teeth other than PM 1 and M3. Non visible teeth have to be considered as missing except when certified by a « Deutsch-Kurzhaar-Club » that at a previous show or trial their existence was confirmed.